U.S. Millennials: Media & Marketing

Marketing and media usage among U.S. Millennials

Millennials have been the focus of media and advertising industries for quite a while now, and the hype around the generation’s spending habits is not exaggerated. The number of Millennials in the United States is growing and this translates into a very potent consumer power.

There are certain beliefs in regards to Millennials – that they are technologically savvy, that they focus on being mobile, they value entertainment and they guard their personal time and space. Many studies confirm these observations. Media and device use among Millennials clearly shows that technology is no stranger to this population: in 2016, Millennials spent over 40 hours weekly watching TV and over six hours using internet on a PC. There is also an increasing shift to mobile devices as they spent over 14 hours using apps or the internet on a smartphone.

Being mobile with devices is not their only concern; even TV viewing is becoming more and more flexible, with 23 percent of Millennials' video consumption time being spent with a TV connected device, allowing them access to online video and video on demand. For that reason, streaming services such as Netflix, YouTube, and Amazon Prime are quite popular amongst Millennial TV viewers in the U.S. Nonetheless, traditional media such as newspapers or radio still have a strong presence in their lives.

Almost anything and everything digital, mobile or online is definitely a must for this generation. That includes media as well. Millennials are heading towards a digital media consumption future, with social media and digital news consumption among young adults on the rise. In 2015, digital newspapers reached 42 percent of this particular population and data shows that the scales are tipping towards mobile news access within this age group.

What does all this mean for marketing and advertising industries? Regular pop-up advertising effectiveness within this target group may be decreasing due to the popularity of adblocking plug-ins. This population expresses a higher need for personalized service experience than others, therefore marketing to Millennials needs to be adjusted accordingly, preferably with targeted advertising. In 2016, Millennials described the perfect mobile ad as being accessible at a later date, delivered by a trusted source, and offering a coupon to the user's mobile wallet.

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